A Car Full of Autism: My writings and ramblings about being a mother of two children with Autism

Friday, June 21, 2013

Ranting on Facebook

So today I had a rant on Facebook. What about? The media of
course! One of our national media outlets has decided to make this "let’s
report on Autism week." First it was about a new "cure" that
seems suspiciously like electroshock therapy. Then the advertising regarding a
famous footballer’s son that sounds suspiciously like the story is going to be
about yet another cure. Then, what else but the good old over diagnosis debate?
Lumped right in there with ADHD and on the back of comments by an NGO that
claims to be promoting Autism awareness!

I'm so tired of the way Autism is
portrayed in the media. It appears if you are famous or a sports person it is
okay to have a child with Autism and it is not about parenting but it is always
about cures. Fact is any treatment that is reported is out of the reach of the
average Australian family or is simply fraud to make that person more money or
make them feel better about themselves AKA Jenny McCarthy.

Lumping Asperger's in with the ADHD debate is damaging and hurtful
to those parents trying to do their best with a condition that has nothing to
do with parenting. I think there are two types of the disorder to be honest,
one where the child is predisposed and has a family environment that promotes
the development and the child that has for some reason some biological basis to
their disorder. Children with Asperger's are not "badly behaved".
Actually in my experience it is the so called neuro-typical children and adults
that treat people with Asperger's badly!